13th Century

[Ryan Ross]

The Highland targe was paired with the one-handed, basket-hilted broadsword. Those who chose to wield the two-handed great sword would not utilize a targe....

That's the first thing that sprung to my mind.


I've been studying weapons based martial arts for 22 years, and something like a greatsword and target just... wouldn't be done. I can't even think of how it could be done, to good effect.

Japanese martial arts have been my bread and butter for a long time, but I have certainly had more than a look-see at "Western martial arts". You need to be strong and well practiced to use a greatsword two-handed. Don't know of many, if any one-handed techniques.

Yeah, when I read "greatsword and targe" and "tall boots w/kilt", it screamed out anachronism, to me.

[Dale Seago]

Yeah, when I read "greatsword and targe" and "tall boots w/kilt", it screamed out anachronism, to me.

Same here. And yes, in the late 1500s the belted plaid would have just come into vogue.

[Sir Didymous]

I was a bit wrong on the period mentioned, I tend to stick in closer to my common portrayal, but the great sword of war and targe combo has been done by English knights around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. The targe I use is just under a 2' diameter, at such size it allows me to grip the sword while wearing it. The first couple of times I used this combo it was pretty akward, but then I found the moves to make it happen. The only reason I even tried is because the roots of the targe and the greatsword are in the late 13th C. It derived from the sword I'll actually be using (I can't drop $300 on an event specific weapon right now), which was actually termed a "great sword of war" in the era. It's just under what most people think of as far as great swords in length and at 6'2" I am just tall enough to pull off some interesting manuvers. It's weight and balance are similar to a bastard sword. The boots I'll be wearing are going to have their tops covered with tartan wraps. I just want some of the protection of my normal boots (the guy I'll be fighting likes to go for the legs). I figue as part of the fight I'll switch to using the french-style hand axe that I keep on hand for a back up weapon. From some of the archaeological finds, it seems to be of a style that could have been in use in the area.

[Ryan Ross]

I was a bit wrong on the period mentioned, I tend to stick in closer to my common portrayal, but the great sword of war and targe combo has been done by English knights around the turn of the 13th and 14th centuries. The targe I use is just under a 2' diameter, at such size it allows me to grip the sword while wearing it. The first couple of times I used this combo it was pretty akward, but then I found the moves to make it happen. The only reason I even tried is because the roots of the targe and the greatsword are in the late 13th C. It derived from the sword I'll actually be using (I can't drop $300 on an event specific weapon right now), which was actually termed a "great sword of war" in the era. It's just under what most people think of as far as great swords in length and at 6'2" I am just tall enough to pull off some interesting manuvers. It's weight and balance are similar to a bastard sword. The boots I'll be wearing are going to have their tops covered with tartan wraps. I just want some of the protection of my normal boots (the guy I'll be fighting likes to go for the legs). I figue as part of the fight I'll switch to using the french-style hand axe that I keep on hand for a back up weapon. From some of the archaeological finds, it seems to be of a style that could have been in use in the area.

Ah, I see... greatsword of war makes more sense, for sure. Really more like a longsword than a greatsword-like claymore.

I'd still be quite interested to see your historical material on its use with the targe, though, if you have it handy in link form. Quite curious.